In a restaurant in Kasaragod town, a large family, with ages ranging from a 70-year-old to an infant, were dining indoors on a recent afternoon. In fact, almost all the tables inside were filled with people eating, despite dine-ins not being allowed in restaurants in Kerala due to COVID-19 restrictions. A few tables near the entrance were blocked with chairs so diners couldn’t sit on them. When TNM asked one of the family members about this, he says, “We went shopping. The children had to get some clothes and jewelry. We were desperately in need of a day out after days being locked inside. Though there is a rule in place, if the restaurant allows it, what is the problem?”
The owner of the restaurant gave his own justification: “We were functioning with takeaways during and after lockdown. Later, when all the shops opened, people started demanding to sit inside and dine in. Moreover, we are getting a huge number of customers after the lockdown. There are some people who have come here three times a week after lockdown," he says with a laugh, masks bunched over his chin.
The situation is similar in many restaurants in the district, where two tables with chairs on top are kept near the entrance so police don't notice diners inside. Inside, there is frequently a significant number of customers who are not adhering to physical distancting norms. "After the lockdown, we had a huge rise in the number of customers. They come as families, it is a relief for us after the lockdown," says another restaurant owner from Kannur district.
The term ‘revenge travel’ or ‘revenge dining’ has been used often in the last 18 months, as lockdown fatigue leaves people around the world feeling weary of current circumstances. Tourists are flocking to destinations to escape the monotony of life in the pandemic, while diners, such as those in Kerala, are heading to restaurants for a brief reprieve from life indoors. These activities are despite restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and could exacerbate the number of cases in an area
Recent photos and videos of lakhs of tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh after the second wave showed COVID-19 norms being flouted. The government had to warn against revenge travel, with Secretary (MoHFW) Lav Agarwal using the expression in one of his speeches.
In Kannur, it isn’t just restaurants that are seeing crowds. Shops, whether big or small, tea shops and clothing stores, are also seeing droves of customers. "Earlier, when textile shops were allowed to open three days a week, the rush was huge. We thought it was because it was only allowed for three days. But now, even when we open six days a week, we still have a rush, but not as much as restaurants," says a textile owner from Kannur.
"We have made a couple of trips soon after the unlocking. We also took our 3-year-old with us. We were fed up of sitting inside. There were changes in my daughter's behaviour and we didn't want to stay cooped up. Even after first lockdown we made couple of trips. Now, lets see what happens," Nishad, a native of Kozhikode, the district which reports one of the highest number of COVID 19 cases, says.
Healthcare workers, however, are fearful of this trend. Usha, an ASHA worker from Kasaragod, says, "Now people aren’t taking caution. They just wanted to step out, citing small reasons. Everyone is tired. We used to continuously request women not to take their babies out, but they don't listen."
On Tuesday, 21,119 coronavirus cases were reported from Kerala. About 1,71,985 patients are currently under treatment. The test positivity is 15.91%. After the second wave, the TPR rate in Kerala has not gone below 10%. Moreover, it has been gradually increasing ever since restrictions were relaxed.
Around 29,300 people are currently under treatment in Kasaragod district for COVID-19. In Kannur, it is 30,039.
"Kasaragod fish and meat market is as crowded as ever. After the lockdown, the crowd increased. I myself got COVID-19 twice. I have no health issues. Here, most of us have got the illness" says Abdulla, a trader from the market.
Though the risk to people’s health could be dire for the state, shop and restaurant owners have struggled for several months as subsequent lockdowns have left them without the business they sorely need to stay afloat. For street vendors, shop and restaurant owners, the sight of crowds brought happiness to them after the second wave, despite the possibility of infection
"We used to go for trips, dine out, and shop frequently before the pandemic. For the last one year, we have restricted ourselves. Now we can't anymore. The lockdown that started in May was my limit. I can't anymore, I think nobody can stop a pandemic, so let it go its own way," Fathima, from Kannur says.
Indian Medical Association’s South Zone Vice President Dr Sulfi Noohu says that this is a part of people's psychology and no public health regulations can be enforced using power.
"A third wave is a possibility, but it also depends on people's behaviour. Our number of cases haven't come down. On top of it, crowd formation is a major challenge. If there is a third wave, it definitely depends on how you behave in the next few weeks," he says, adding that, "Through enforcement of law and order, we cannot totally control people's behaviour, but we should try.”